


The Rebels, the Gas Mine, and the Very Evil Sith Lord

by SpacePirate8



Series: The Adventures of Dad Solo and Co. [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, Good Parent Han Solo, Han Solo loves his kid, Han and Leia need to Get Over Themselves, Happy little family deep into some Crazy Shit, It's not graphic at all tho, Jaina Solo loves her Dad, Jaina has adopted Luke and Leia, Jaina thinks so anyway, POV Jaina Solo, POV Original Female Character, Single Dad Han Solo, They are okay with this, matchmaker Jaina Solo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:00:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29390889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpacePirate8/pseuds/SpacePirate8
Summary: It's been three years since the battle over Yavin-IV, and Jaina Solo is approaching adolescence in the midst of a struggling yet tenacious Rebellion. But after a sudden evacuation from a cold-as-hells planet leaves her, Chewie, her Dad, and his maybe-sort-of future girlfriend limping through space in a damaged ship, not even the unpredictability of war could prepare them for what comes next.Or, a retelling of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back through the eyes of Han Solo's twelve-year-old daughter.
Relationships: Chewbacca & Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker & Han Solo, Han Solo & Jaina Solo, Han Solo & Original Female Character(s), Leia Organa & Jaina Solo, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker & Han Solo, Leia Organa & Original Female Character(s), Leia Organa/Han Solo, Luke Skywalker & Han Solo, Luke Skywalker & Jaina Solo, Luke Skywalker & Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Adventures of Dad Solo and Co. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116017
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	1. Echo Base

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Han gets antsy, Leia gets pissed, and Jaina thinks her father is a terrible flirt.

Jaina had barely stepped foot onto Hoth’s icy ground to know she would not like it there. Everything was too white, it was well below freezing, and a harsh wind bit at her face, even in the dugout hangar. She knew better to complain, though. At least it was safe, pretty well-hidden from the Empire, and a decent spot to run missions on according to Leia. Jaina wished they could have picked somewhere warmer. She had to wear her snowsuit over her nightclothes when she slept and she could barely move with all the layers Dad made her wear under it. Still, it was a small price to pay for the safety it offered after three years with the Empire hot on their tails. 

Dad had been getting increasingly anxious over the years they spent with the Alliance. His old debt owed to Jabba had turned into a bounty on his head. Jaina felt like it was a little bit her fault- after all she was the one who convinced him to stay and fight with the rebels. Maybe if she hadn’t, Dad could have paid off his debt and been fine. There had been a scare a few months ago, shortly after they arrived on Hoth, when Dad and Chewie had taken a supply run to Ord Mantell. A bounty hunter had spotted the Falcon there and almost caught Dad and taken him back to Tatooine for the reward Jabba had offered. They’d had to blast their way out- Dad took a shot to the leg and was laid up for two weeks. Ever since, he’d been trying to find a good time to leave Hoth and settle his debt. Luckily for Jaina, the Alliance had been in constant need of him since then, and so they had stayed.

Between Dad trying to abandon the Rebellion and Hoth’s terrible weather, Jaina found herself in an already bad mood when Dad had made a passing comment about “getting the hell off this iceball." She had decided to pick a fight that had ended in Dad using her full name then walking off to go patrol, and her stomping off away from him in search of someone who wasn’t trying to leave.

“Jaina, hey!” Luke called to her. Her friend was in his orange pilots uniform. “Have you seen- hey, are you alright?” he asked. His boots made tracks in the snow as he slid to a stop. “What’s up?”

“It’s Dad, he just won’t listen-” Jaina pouted. Luke sighed. 

“Is Han talking about leaving again?” he asked. Jaina nodded. “I’ll see if I can talk to him about it later. I think Ord Mantell shook him up worse then he let on,” he said. 

“Thanks,” Jaina said. “Hey- can we go flying? I wanna get some more practice, I think I’m really gettin’ the hang of it."

“Sorry, Jaina, I can’t right now,” Luke said apologetically. “Maybe later, yeah?” Jaina sighed. “Hey, cheer up,” he said. “Why don’t you go find Leia? I just saw her, she’s not busy right now." 

“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you later, Luke,” Jaina said. Luke smiled and jogged off into the hangar, leaving Jaina to wander around in search of Leia. She found her in Leia’s small quarters. She didn’t bother knocking before peeking into the small room. Leia was sitting at a makeshift desk made out of crates. 

“Leia?” Leia looked up from her datapad. 

“Hi, Jaina. What’s up?” Jaina shrugged. 

“Nothin’,” she said, leaning against the doorway. “Luke said ya weren’t busy." Leia turned off her datapad and gestured to the room. Jaina took the invitation and flopped down on Leia’s bed. A little snow shook off of the wall and fell onto her face. 

“What’s going on?” Leia asked, sitting down next to her. Jaina threw an arm over her eyes and shrugged. Leia had enough to worry about without feeling like she had to convince Dad to stick around. Jaina had overheard them in a shouting match over it yesterday. “Bored?” she asked sympathetically. Jaina nodded. “I don’t like being stuck up in here either,” she said. “At least Han and Luke can go outside. Why don’t you tell me about that reading I had you do on the Trade Federation’s invasion of Naboo?” Jaina groaned. Shortly after Jaina and Dad joined the rebels, Leia had realized that Jaina never had any proper schooling. Jaina had argued that she was educated, thank you very much, she knew a few languages, was well-versed in star charts and mechanics, and Dad had called her a natural with a blaster. Leia had disagreed, stating that a ‘smuggler’s education’ could only take you so far. With Dad’s permission, she had spent the last three years teaching Jaina about history, politics, and some languages beyond the Basic and Shyriiwook and Huttese Jaina already knew. 

“The Trade Federation was a bunch of power-hungry credit-grubbers. They wanted control of Naboo so they put a blockade around the planet and refused to remove it until they got what they wanted." Leia nodded. 

“Exactly. What did they do about it?” Jaina rolled her eyes at the quizzing, but dutifully repeated,

“The Republic sent a Jedi to negotiate. It didn’t work, so the Jedi and the Queen got help from the… the gungans, right?” Leia nodded and gestured for her to continue. “And then they had to fight the Trade Federation’s droid army, retake the palace, and wipe out the droid army." Leia nodded. 

“Well done, Jaina. Who was the Chancellor of the Republic at the time?” Jaina frowned, thinking. She had definitely seen his name, but it wasn’t coming to mind. 

“Dunno,” she said. “Bal-Baloré? Baldorai?” 

“Chancellor Valorum,” Leia corrected. 

“Oh. Can we do somethin’ else now? Wanna play Sabacc?” Jaina said. Leia shook her head. 

“You know I’m terrible at Sabacc,” she said. Jaina raised her eyebrow. 

“You only suck when Dad plays with us,” she said. Leia flushed. “You let him win." 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, young lady,” she said. Jaina raised an eyebrow.

“C’mon, Leia, we both know ya like him,” she said. Leia looked away, flustered. “And I definitely know he likes ya too. I don’t get why ya don’t just talk to each other." 

“Your father and I both have more important things to worry about,” said Leia. “There’s the Rebellion, he has a daughter… there just isn’t time for trying to figure out our- feelings for each other, whatever they may be." 

“Whatever,” said Jaina, not understanding how adults can be so stupid about simples things like love. To her, it was easy, black and white. You love someone, you let them know. She loved Dad, she told him. She loved Chewie, she told him. There was also that time Luke had carried her to bed and, half-asleep, Jaina had told him she loved him, too. So she might be starting to love Luke and Leia as well, because you could love your friends too. Maybe romantic love was supposed to be different, even if Jaina didn’t think it should be. To be fair, Dad had let Leia know how he felt in his own way, but his own way seemed to just push Leia’s buttons. Instead of just saying how  _ he _ felt, he told Leia how  _ she  _ felt. 

“Let’s talk about something else,” suggested Leia. 

“Not much to talk about,” said Jaina. Leia flopped down on the bed next to her. 

“I guess you’re right,” she sighed. “Unless you want to get mixed up in the base gossip." Jaina gagged. 

“Blech, no,” she shuddered. Her last experience with such things had her scrubbing out her eyes for days. Leia giggled. Her comm beeped. She checked it and groaned. 

“I’m needed at the command center,” she said. “Want to come?” Jaina, having nothing else better to do, shrugged. 

“Alright,” she said. She hauled herself up and followed Leia to the command center. It was one of the larger rooms in the base, filled with computers and view screens and scanners. General Rieekan waved Leia over. 

“General,” Leia greeted. Jaina gave him a polite nod. “What’s going on?” 

“We’ve heard a report from another sector that the Empire is sending out probing droids,” said Rieekan. Leia frowned. 

“Have any of our sectors been discovered yet?” she said. Rieekan shook his head. 

“Not that we’ve heard. But we should be careful,” he said. “I’m going to have the next round of scouts put out extra sensors." Leia nodded.

“Alright. I’ll put our scout pilots on high alert." Rieekan nodded. 

“There’s a storm coming within the next few days,” he said. “You should go get dinner, it could be a long night." Leia made a general sound of agreement in the back of her throat. 

“Come on, Jaina, let's go get something to eat,” she said. 

The food at Echo Base wasn’t the worst Jaina had eaten, it was just very… bland. Jaina grew up well travelled, and was no stranger to trying new foods and such. Eating nothing but ration bars for days at a time was a change, to say the least, even if Leia and Luke snuck her a cup of caff to dunk them in. Tonight was another night without a new shipment of food, so another ration bar it was. 

Jaina went to bed later than normal that night, she was surprised Dad let her stay up that late all all. The cold was bad that night, seeping through her blankets, her snowsuit, her pajamas, and nipping at her skin. She pulled the covers over her head and curled herself into a little ball on her bed in the Falcon, laying awake and listening to the murmur of Dad and Chewie’s voices, unable to tell what they were saying but definitely there, provided a little warmth to cut the cold. After a few hours of shivering under the blankets, Jaina gave up on sleep in her own bed. 

She grabbed the blankets and stumbled down the Falcon’s dark hallway to Dad’s room. He was snoring lightly, but not in a deep sleep. Jaina threw the blankets on his bed and crawled in next to him. Dad didn’t wake up, but he put an arm over Jaina as she burrowed into his side and tucked her head under his chin. He wasn’t wearing a snowsuit, he ran hot in a way Jaina didn’t. He didn’t even wake up when he pulled Jaina close against his side- Hoth was so cold that this had become routine for them, even though Jaina was far too old for sleeping in the same bed as Dad and hadn’t regularly since she was five. Jaina closed her eyes. Dad was warm and safe, and it wasn’t long before she was pulled into unconsciousness. 

She woke up when it was only a little bit lighter than it had been the previous night, when Dad got out of bed. She groaned sleepily. 

“Go back to sleep, kiddo,” Dad said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I gotta go patrol with Luke, okay?” Jaina groaned affirmatively and drifted back to sleep for a few more hours. When she woke up for real, it was actually light out and she felt somewhat energized. She went to her room and performed the daily race of stripping naked and pulling on clothes and her snowsuit before the cold set in too deep. 

Leia was in the command center when Jaina went to find her, talking to an officer who’s name didn’t come to Jaina. 

“Good morning, Jaina,” she said. 

“Hi Leia."

“Are your father and Luke still on patrol?” she asked. Jaina nodded. “Alright. Hey- we got some food supplies late last night. Why don’t we go get something to eat?” It was almost the middle of what passed for a day on Hoth, Jaina slept later than she thought. 

“Sure, I could eat,” she said. They didn’t have any fresh fruits, but there was warm bread, some cheese, and dried meats that were a little too salty but otherwise tasted pretty good. Jaina and Leia made themselves sandwiches out of the supplies, and a third for Chewie. The three of them ate on the Falcon. Leia then insisted on another lesson- this time it was about how the Republic worked before the Emperor took control. There was a Senate and a Chancellor, as well as planetary governments independent of the Senate. It wasn’t very interesting, but according to Leia, that was what they were fighting to bring back. Eventually, when someone pulled Leia away, Jaina was left to find something to do. 

Dad and Luke were still out, so Jaina climbed up to the top of the Falcon where Chewie was making some repairs. 

_ “Good morning, little one,”  _ greeted Chewie. Jaina had given up on having him call her anything else years ago. To be fair, he did still call Dad “Cub”, and he was approaching thirty. 

“Hey, Uncle Chewie. Want some help?” she offered. 

_ “You could pass me the welder,”  _ Chewie rumbled. Jaina twisted around and found it in the toolkit, then pressed it into his big hand. 

“What’s wrong with her now?” Jaina asked, staring into the open paneling. Chewie was trying to fix some kind of wiring. 

_ “I’m not entirely sure yet. The wiring here isn’t right,”  _ said Chewie.  _ “Mask on."  _ Jaina grabbed a welding mask from the kit. 

“All set,” she said, putting it over her eyes. Sparks flew as Chewie melded the wiring together. They ended up fixing whatever was wrong with the wiring there, and moving on to another faulty spot. It was getting to be later in the afternoon when Dad came back. 

“Chewie, Jaina!” he called up. “Hey Chewie!” The wookiee removed his welding mask. 

_ “I’m a little busy right now, Cub,”  _ he scolded, waving the welder. 

“Alright, don’t lose your temper,” said Dad. “I’ll come right back and give you a hand." Chewie went back to welding. 

_ “Go with him, little one,”  _ he said. Jaina jumped down from the Falcon and ran after Dad. 

“Dad, wait up!” Dad slowed down. 

“Hey kiddo, how ya doin’?” Jaina shrugged. 

“I’m good. How was patrol?” 

“Nothin’ to see,” Dad reported. “Just lots of snow." Dad shed his heavy snowsuit at the door of the command center and went in, Jaina trailing after him. Leia was there, but she didn’t come up and say hi. The look she gave Dad suggested that their fight the other day had been worse than Jaina thought. 

“Solo- and Solo,” greeted Rieekan. He was leaning over a viewscreen when Dad walked up to him.

“No sign of life out there, General,” Dad reported. “The sensors are in place. You’ll know if anythin’ comes around."

“Commander Skywalker reported in yet?” asked the general.

“No, he’s checking out a meteorite that hit near him,” said Dad. 

“With all the meteorite activity in this system, it’s gonna be difficult to spot approaching ships,” said Rieekan. Dad grimaced. 

“General, I gotta leave. I can’t stay anymore,” Jaina’s eyes widened. She looked over at Leia, who had clearly been listening to their conversation. She hid it pretty well, but Jaina could tell she was just as furious as she was. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Rieekan.   
“What?” Jaina said. Dad shushed her.

“Go over to Leia,” he ordered. Jaina stomped off, but stayed close enough to overhear. “Well, there’s a price on my head. If I don’t pay off Jabba the Hutt, I’m a dead man. And my kid…” Dad explained. 

“I don’t believe this,” Leia muttered. Jaina crossed her arms. 

“Me neither."

“A death mark’s not an easy thing to live with. You’re a good fighter Solo, and that girl of yours has got spunk. I hate to lose you,” said Rieekan. 

“Thank you, General,” said Dad politely, shaking his hand. He turned and walked over to where Jaina was glaring at him and Leia was pointedly ignoring him. 

“Well, Your Highness, I guess this is it,” he said. 

“That’s right,” said Leia, ice-cold. Dad’s eyebrow twitched, frustrated. 

“Well, don’t get all mushy on me. So long, Princess. Jaina, c’mon." 

“But-” 

“Now, Jaina." He took Jaina’s hand, gently, but in a way that left no room for argument. Jaina looked back at Leia for help as she followed Dad out. Leia, sensing her plea, ran after them. 

“Han!” she called. Dad stopped and turned around. 

“Yes, Your Highnessness?” he asked. 

“I thought you had decided to stay,” said Leia. 

“Well, the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind,” Dad explained. “I gotta kid to look after, I can’t keep her safe with a price on my head."

“Why is everyone so worried about keepin’ me safe?” Jaina complained. A look from the adults silenced her. 

“Han, we need you!” said Leia. Dad blinked at her. 

“We need?” 

“Yes,” said Leia. Jaina could get why it seemed so obvious to her. Dad was a great pilot, great in a fight, and what Leia would call a “valuable asset” to the Alliance. 

“Well, what about what  _ you  _ need?” asked Dad. Jaina smacked her hand on her face. Again, Dad was telling Leia how he felt all wrong. 

“I need?” asked Leia. “I don’t know what you’re talking about." 

“You probably don’t,” said Dad, irritated. “Jaina-” he took her hand again and walked off. 

“And what precisely am I supposed to know?” asked Leia, following them. Jaina was jogging to keep up with Dad. 

“C’mon, ya want me to stay because of the way you feel about me!” Dad said. Jaina sighed. 

“Just tell her that ya like her,” she muttered under her breath. 

“Yes!” said Leia. “You’re a great help to us. You’re a natural leader!”

“No!” said Dad, rounding on her and pointing a finger in her face. “That’s not it. C’mon." A fighter squeezed between them with a box. Jaina shrugged at him helplessly. Leia looked upset, and a little embarrassed. “Ah-ha, c’mon,” Dad said triumphantly. He pointed at his lips and Jaina cringed. 

“Dad, gross."

“You’re imagining things,” Leia said. 

“Am I?” said Dad. “Then why are ya followin’ me? Afraid I was gonna leave without givin’ ya a goodbye kiss?” 

“Dad!” gasped Jaina. Leia glared at him. 

“I’d just as soon kiss a wookiee,” she snapped. 

“I can arrange that,” said Dad. He walked off again, Jaina jogging after him. “You could use a good kiss!” He stormed off towards the Falcon. 

“Dad-” said Jaina, struggling to keep up. “Dad, slow down-” Dad wasn’t listening, almost like he had forgotten she was there. She tugged her hand out of his. “Dad!” Dad turned around and stopped. 

“What?” he snapped. Jaina hesitated, and Dad winced. “Sorry, sweetheart,” he said, pulling Jaina into a hug. “I didn’t want ya to see that-”

“Ya know, if you were nice to Leia instead of tryin’ to tell her how she feels, she might admit that she likes ya,” Jaina said, glowering. Dad raised his eyebrows at her. 

“So ya thinks she likes me,” he asked. Jaina growl-screamed and tugged at her hair. Dad could be so  _ blind  _ sometimes. 

“Yes! She does! But ya keep gettin’ up in her face instead of just sayin’ that ya like her!”

“Huh." Dad looked like he had never even thought of that, which was honestly concerning. 

“And abandonin’ the Rebellion ain’t helping either,” Jaina said. “They need us- they need you!” Dad crossed his arms. 

“And  _ I  _ need to keep ya safe, which means I need to pay off Jabba the Hutt,” he said. “I’m not havin’ this argument with you again, Jaina. C’mon." He strode off, leaving Jaina to hurry after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, Jaina is now a Angsty Almost-Teen. She's 12, Luke and Leia are 21, and Han is 29.


	2. Blizzard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Luke gets hurt, Jaina has Good Instincts, and Han continues to be a nerf-herder.

“There’s got to be some other way,” Jaina insisted, changing him across the hangar. People were starting to give glances to her shrill voice and waving arms. 

“Believe me, kiddo, if there was then that’s what I’d be doin’,” Dad said. “I’m sorry. This is the only way." They came up to the Falcon. Chewie was messing with something on her underbelly. Dad ran up to him. “Why’d ya take this apart now?” he said. “I’m tryin’ to get us outta here and you pull both of these-”

“Excuse me, sir,” 3PO came walking up to them, followed by R2. 

“-put them back together right now! Jaina, help him."

“Might I have a word with you, please?” asked 3PO. 

“Whaddya want?” Dad asked. 

“Well, it’s Princess Leia, sir. She’s been trying to get you on the communicator."

“I turned it off, I don’t wanna talk to her,” snapped Dad. 3PO looked flustered, as always. 

“Oh- well- Princess Leia is wondering about Master Luke. He hasn’t come back yet. She doesn’t know where he is,” 3PO said. 

“I dunno where he is,” said Dad. Jaina frowned. Luke should have come back by now.

“Nobody knows where he is,” said 3PO matter-of-factly. 

“Whaddya mean, ‘nobody knows’?” said Dad. Like Jaina, he was starting to grow concerned. 

“Well, you see-”

“Deck officer!” Dad ran to the nearest officer in the hangar. Jaina chased after him. “Deck officer!”

“Excuse me sir,” protested 3PO, “Might I-” Jaina put a hand over his mouth. 

“Yes, sir?” said the deck officer. 

“Do you know where Commander Skywalker is?” asked Dad. The officer shook his head. 

“I haven’t seen him,” said the other man. “It’s possible he came in through the south entrance-” but Luke hadn’t. He wouldn’t. Jaina knew. 

“It’s possible? Why don’t you go find out? It’s getting dark out there,” Dad snapped. 

“Yes, sir." The officer nodded and ran off.

“He didn’t,” said Jaina quietly. “He’s still out there, Dad. He didn’t come back." Dad walked off, thinking hard. Jaina let go of 3PO.

“Excuse me, sir, might I inquire what’s going on?” asked the droid. 

“Why not?” Dad asked Jaina. She shrugged. There was a cold feeling running down her spine and it wasn’t the planet’s doing. 

“Impossible man,” pouted 3PO. “Come along, R2, let’s find Princess Leia. Between ourselves, I think Master Luke is in considerable danger." Jaina followed Dad to the tauntauns. 

“Dad, where ya goin’?” Jaina asked, ducking around one of the smelly beasts. The deck officer came running up.

“Sir, Commander Skywalker hasn’t come in through the south entrance,” he said. “He might have forgotten to check in."

“I knew it,” Jaina whispered. 

“Not likely. Are the speeders ready?” Dad asked.

“Uh, not yet. We’re having some trouble adapting them to the cold,” said the officer. 

“Then we’ll have to go out on tauntaun,” Dad decided. 

“Dad, are you goin’ out there?” Jaina asked. Dad nodded. 

“Sir, the temperature is dropping too rapidly,” said the officer. 

“That’s right, and my friend’s out in it,” Dad said. 

“Dad, can I come? I can help find him,” Jaina said, running after him again. She was getting tired of chasing him. 

“Absolutely not,” said Dad, mounting a tauntaun. Jaina sighed- it was a long shot. 

“Start a bit further north than his last location,” she suggested. To quote Dad, she felt like she was "talking out her ass", but she said it anyway, hoping it wasn’t a huge mistake. “And be careful, Dad."

“I will, kiddo." 

“Your tauntaun will freeze before you reach the first marker!” the officer objected. 

“Then I’ll see you in hell! Yah!” Dad’s tauntaun galloped out of the base. Jaina ran back to the Falcon, ignoring the protests from the deck officers. She found Chewie finishing up fixing the Falcon. 

“Luke still hasn’t come back,” she said. “Dad went to find him. Chewie, d’ya think they’ll be okay?”

_ “I’m sure they will be, little one,”  _ Chewie growled, but he didn’t sound sure. 3PO came running up, best he could at least, to their ship, followed by Leia and R2. 

“Did your father know where Luke was?” she asked. Jaina shook her head. 

“He’s still out there,” she said. “Dad went after him. I wanted to come, but…” Leia nodded and sank down onto a nearby crate. 

“I’m worried,” she said. “Something doesn’t feel right. I think Luke may be in trouble." Jaina nodded. 

“I feel it too." Leia groaned and jumped up.   
“I need something to do,” she declared. “Chewie, is there anything I can do to help?” 

_ “You could help me fasten these panels back on,”  _ Chewie offered. Leia grabbed a drill and set to work gratefully. Jaina began pacing up and down, restlessly. When Leia was done helping Chewie, she joined her. 

An hour or so later, someone came running up to Major Derlin. 

“Sir, all the patrols are in. Still no-” Derlin held up a hand, and the man repeated the rest of his sentence in a whisper, but Jaina knew he was saying Dad and Luke were still missing. 

“Mistress Leia,” said 3PO. “R2 says he’s been quite unable to pick up any signals, although he does admit his range is far too weak to abandon all hope."

“Your Highness,” said the major, “There’s nothing more we can do tonight. The shield doors must be closed." Leia looked at Jaina. She didn’t know what to do- the doors did have to be closed, but Dad was out there, and Luke. Leia nodded solemnly. “Close the doors,” the major ordered. 

“Yes sir." Chewie leaned against the Falcon sadly. R2 beeped. 

“R2 says the chances of survival are seven hundred and twenty five to one,” said 3PO. Leia glared at him, nodding at Jaina.

“They’ll make it,” she said. Jaina nodded. 

“I know they will,” she said fiercely. “Dad can survive anything. He’ll find Luke." The big doors rolled shut, cutting off the planet outside, cutting of Dad and Luke with eerie finality. Chewie roared in frustration.

“Actually, R2 has been known to make mistakes from time to time,” 3PO said unhelpfully. He awkwardly walked off. 

“I don’t suppose I can convince you to get to bed?” asked Leia. Jaina crossed her arms. 

“Not a chance in hell,” she said. Leia sighed but didn’t comment on the language. 

“I wish I hadn’t fought with him,” she lamented. “If something happens…”

“It won’t,” said Jaina, convincing herself as much as Leia. “And he deserved it. We need to stay." 

“If they make it back I just might tell your father I might like him,” Leia said. 

“I’m holdin’ ya to that." They stayed awake on the Falcon, playing some Sabacc. Leia made some caff. They didn’t talk much. Jaina should have been tired, but she was wide awake even in the early morning, when Leia and Rieekan sent out the Rogue Squadron. Leia and Jaina hovered anxiously in the command center while they searched. 

_ “Echo Base,” _ said a pilot.  _ “I got something. Not much, but it could be a life form." _ Leia and Jaina ran to the monitor. The pilot didn’t say anything else. 

“C’mon Luke, Dad…” There was silence for a while, and the static crackling. Then, the pilot spoke again. 

_ “Echo Base, this is Rogue Two. I’ve found them. Repeat, I’ve found them." _ Jaina cheered.

“They’re okay! Leia, they found them!” Leia smiled. 

“Let’s go meet them,” she said. They ran to the hangar. They didn’t have to wait long before the Rogue Squadron came in. Jaina strained her eyes until she saw Dad. 

“Dad! Dad!” she ran to him. He was freezing, but she hugged him anyway. He swung her around and sat her down.

“Hey, kiddo!” he said, taking off his hat. There was ice in his eyebrows. 

“Where’s Luke?” Leia asked, looked around. Dad hesitated. “Han, what happened?” 

“He got attacked by one of them ice creatures,” he said, “He got beat pretty bad. And…” Jaina gasped. Two rebels were running out of the hangar with a stretcher. The figure on it was bloodied and bruised, but unmistakably Luke. 

“Oh, no…” said Leia. Dad put a hand on her shoulder and it was telling that Leia didn’t push him away. 

“He was talkin’ when I got to him,” he said. “I think he’ll pull through. C’mon, let’s go with him." Jaina took his free hand and they followed Luke out of the hangar. Jaina wasn’t let into the room until after Luke was brought out of the bacta tank and awake. Leia stayed with him, though, while Dad waited with Jaina and Chewie.

“He’s gonna be fine,” he reported. Jaina sighed in relief. 

“That’s great,” she said. “It was a good thing you were there to save him. He’d be dead if not for you, Dad,” she said pointedly. Dad nodded. 

“Yeah,” he said. Jaina stared at him until he broke. “Alright. We can stay until Luke is better. Happy?” Jaina wasn’t completely, but she nodded, taking what she could get. 

“I think Luke’s awake,” she said. “Let’s go see him!” She led the way into Lukes small recovery room. He was sitting up in bed, talking to the droids and Leia. 

“How ya feelin’, kid?” Dad asked. “Ya don’t look so bad to me. Ya look strong enough to pull the ears of a gundark."

“Thanks to you,” Luke said. 

“That’s two ya owe me, junior,” Dad joked. 

“Be nice,” said Jaina, climbing up onto the foot of Luke’s bed. “At least ya got him to stay a little longer,” she whispered to Luke. Dad turned to Leia, who had gone back to staring at him coldly. 

“Well, Your Worship, looks like ya managed to keep me around for a little while longer,” he said to Leia. 

“I had nothing to do with it,” Leia said. “General Rieekan thinks it's dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we’ve activated the energy field." That was news to Jaina, but if it meant they could stay with the Alliance longer she wasn’t complaining. 

“That’s a good story,” said Dad, getting worked up again. “I think ya just can’t let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight." Jaina groaned and flopped down next to Luke dramatically. He stifled a laugh behind his hand. 

“I don’t know where you get your delusions, laser-brain,” Leia said. Jaina and Chewie laughed and Jaina filed that insult away for future use. 

“Laugh it up, fuzzball,” Dad griped. “But you didn’t see us in the south passage. She expressed her true feelings for me." Luke looked to Jaina inquisitively. 

“They fought again,” Jaina corrected. Luke nodded, unsurprised. 

“My-” Leia stammered. “Why you- stuck up- half witted- scruffy looking- nerf herder!” Jaina disguised a laugh as a cough. 

“Who’s scruffy lookin’?” Dad said, offended. He leaned in towards Luke. “I must’ve hit pretty close to the mark to get her all riled up like that, huh kids?” Leia glared at him and walked over, getting close to his face. Jaina scooted away from the fury radiating off her. 

“Well, I guess you don’t know everything about women yet,” she said. She reached over, grabbed Luke’s face, and kissed him. Jaina wrinkled her nose in disgust and scrambled off the bed. It wasn’t even a gross kiss, Luke was too surprised and Leia was too angry for it to be anything bad, but it was wrong all the same. It turned out Leia knew how to push Dad’s buttons as well as he could push hers. 

_ “Headquarters personnel, report to command center,” _ the intercom crackled. Leia pulled away and walked off, leaving Luke to lean back in the bed, a little bit stunning.

“Take it easy,” said Dad, clearly upset. He walked off, and Jaina felt a little bad for him, even if he had really pushed Leia too far. 

“What just happened?” asked Luke. Jaina hopped back up on her bed. 

“Dad and Leia are at it again,” she said. “Leia was just tryin’ to piss him off."

“Well, I think it worked,” said Luke, rubbing at his lips. “Wasn’t expecting that, though. I thought she was gonna hit him." 

“Was it a good kiss?” Jaina asked. Her question didn’t have the intended effect, though. Luke didn’t look embarrassed, just confused. 

“It- wasn’t awful?” he ventured. “It was kinda like those stupid games I played on Tatooine." That made sense, Luke and Leia were very close, but not in that way. And as much as they annoyed each other, Jaina held firm to her opinion that Dad and Leia would be cute together. Leia had already been acting sort of motherly to her, too, as of late, between tutoring and doing her hair and one extremely awkward talk about the female body. 

“Okay,” said Jaina. “Wanna play Sabacc?” 

“Sure." Jaina pulled her deck out of the inside pocket of her jacket. “Do you carry those cards everywhere?”

“These cards’ve made me a lotta credits,” Jaina said. She had learned early on rebels didn’t have the best Sabacc face. “You get first turn." They played several games- Jaina won most, but Luke wasn’t terrible. A med-droid would occasionally come inside and check on Luke. Jaina tried to ignore whatever Dad and Leia had going on, and the Alliance too, as she focused on her game. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold my attempt to make the Luke/Leia kiss as not-gross as possible. Jaina has everything figured out, but she's about the only one. Gotta love the simple logic of kids.


	3. Evacuation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jaina is just as reckless as her father and the Falcon doesn't want to do her job.

After a few hours of Sabacc, Dad came running into the room, looking a bit frazzled. 

“Time to say your goodbyes, kiddo. We found an imperial probe droid within sight of us, the evacuation’s starting now,” he said. Luke sat up.

“The Empire knows we’re here?” he said. Dad nodded. 

“They’ll be here soon enough. I’d suit up if ya feel up to it." Luke nodded and got out of bed. “C’mon, Jaina, we gotta go,” Dad said. Jaina didn’t argue this time. She followed Dad to the Falcon, where Chewie was fixing yet another issue with the old ship, or maybe it was the same problem. Jaina could barely keep track. 

“Jaina, go get the inside ready for takeoff while I help Chewie with this,” Dad ordered. Jaina nodded and ran inside. Several emergency evacuations with the Empire hot on their heels had made Jaina well practiced at firing up the cockpit computers, locking down the interior, and booting the systems quickly. She worked around Chewie, who was fiddling with something on the controls. 

“All right, that’s it!” Dad called from outside. “Try it!” Chewie flipped an overhead switch. Jaina hard sparks and a small booming sound echo from the hangar. “Turn it off! Turn it off! Turn it off!” Chewie growled that he was trying and flipped some more switches, bringing the sparking to an end before running out to help Dad. Jaina ran out to help once she was done with her jobs too, and began fetching tools for them. Luke came running up in his pilot’s clothes. 

“Chewie, you take care of yourself, okay?” he said to the wookiee. Chewie wrapped him in a hug. 

_ “You do the same,”  _ he instructed. 

“Okay, okay,” Luke laughed. 

“Hi, kid,” Dad said from on top of the Falcon. A mechanic droid wheeled up to him, beeping angrily. “Well, there’s gotta be a reason for it, check it at the other end." The droid chittered insistently. “Wait a second,” Dad instructed. “You all right?” he asked Luke. 

“Yeah,” said Luke. Dad frowned at him. 

“Be careful,” he warned. 

“You too,” Luke said. Jaina jumped down from her perch on a crate and ran to give him a hug. 

“I’m gonna miss you Luke,” she said. “May the Force be with you."

“You, too, Jaina,” Luke said, fixing her hat. “Be good for your Dad, alright?” Jaina nodded, and Luke ran off to the fighters. 

“Jaina! Get back here, we need your help!” Dad called. 

“Comin’! Bye, Luke,” Jaina said. She ran back to the Falcon. 

“Help hold this in place, will ya?” Dad asked. Jaina nodded and took the weight of a piece of paneling Dad had been holding up. She turned away from the sparks as Dad fastened it into place. 

“She needs some pretty serious repairs, doesn’t she?” Jaina observed. 

“Yup. After Tatooine we’ll see about gettin’ her fixed up again,” Dad said through a mouthful of rivet. The hangar was hectic, and swarmed with rebels running to their transports and fighters. The base shook as the ion cannon fired. 

_ “The first transport is away. The first transport is away,”  _ said a voice over the loud comms. The rebels cheered even as they got battle ready. 

“No, no no, this one goes there,” Dad said to Chewie. Jaina looked up- they were on top of the Falcon and trying to fix something in the front near the cockpit. “That one goes there. Right?” 

_ “Imperial walkers on the north ridge,”  _ the voice said. Jaina shuddered. The walkers were extremely intimidating, they looked like huge animals, but were made of metal, and their giant feet could crush as much as their cannons could blast. Several two-man fighters zipped out of the hangar as the base shook again, this time from enemy fire. Luke was in one of them. Jaina stared out into the well-coordinated insanity and the rebels giving it everything they had against the Empire. She wanted to stay and help, and wanted to get far, far away at the same time. The ground shook again, Jaina heard someone shout something about a downed walker. 

“Jaina!” Dad barked. “We’re all done! Get inside, let’s go!” Jaina turned to get inside the Falcon, but another quake knocked her to the ground. Dad ran to help her up. 

“The command center’s been hit!” someone shouted. Dad’s eyes widened. 

“Leia,” he said. Jaina pulled herself up. 

“Let’s go,” she said, running off towards the command center. Dad chased after her. 

“Jaina, wait-”

“C’mon!” They ran down the side of the hall towards the command center. Echo Base was falling apart. Loose beams and wirings drooped everywhere and snow and ice fell from the ceilings. The command center itself was in shambles. Computers were sparking and chairs overturned. Leia and Rieekan were there, and 3PO. 

“Leia!” Jaina ran to her and gave her a hug. Dad followed. 

“You all right?” he asked. 

“Why are you still here?” Leia asked. She was still angry at Dad, but also concerned. 

“Heard the command center had been hit,” Dad said. Leia turned back to the viewscreen. 

“You’ve got your clearance to leave,” she said. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll leave,” snapped Dad, clambering over the wreckage. “First I’m gonna get ya to your ship."

“Your Highness, we must take this last transport,” said 3PO. “It’s our only hope."

“Send all troops in sector twelve to the south slope to protect the fighters,” Leia ordered. Another blast hit the command center. Jaina knocked into a viewscreen, busting her lip. 3PO screamed and fell onto Dad. 

_ “Imperial troops have entered the base,”  _ the disembodied voice declared.  _ “Imperial troops have entered the- _ ” the voice cut out into static. 

“C’mon, that’s it,” said Dad. Leia looked at him dejectedly. 

“Give the evacuation code signal,” she said. Dad began hauling her away. “And get to your transports!”

“Jaina, Goldenrod-”

“Right behind ya!” Jaina grabbed 3PO and pulled him along. 

“Oh, wait for me!” the droid protested. They began to run to the Falcon as the Alliance began a full retreat. A rumble in the ground suggested another walker had been felled, another blast signalled the loss of the shields. They ran down a narrow hall, almost getting crushed when the roof caved in. Leia screamed as they fell to the ground. Jaina ran to the fallen snow and tried to find a way through. There was none.

“Dad, we can’t get through,” she said. Dad helped Leia up and pulled out his comm.

“Transport, this is Solo. Better take off. I can’t get to ya. I’ll get her out on the Falcon. C’mon." He grabbed Leia’s hand, and Jaina led the way in the opposite direction. 3PO, who had fallen behind, cried,

“But where are you going? Come back!” They ran to the door of the hangar. 3PO almost didn’t make it through the doors. “Wait! Wait for me! Stop!” Jaina grabbed him. 

“Typical. C’mon,” she said, dragging him behind her. 

_ “Hurry!”  _ roared Chewie. 

“Hurry up, Goldenrod!” Dad yelled. “You’re gonna be a permanent resident!” They ran up the ramp and Jaina quickly closed it behind 3PO.

The Falcon’s engine stalled when Chewie turned it on, and steam shot out of the exhaust. “How’s this?” Dad said, fingers flying across the controls. 

“Would it help if I got out and pushed?” Leia sniped. 3PO wobbled up.

“Captain Solo, Captain Solo-”

“It might!” Dad said. 

“Sir, might I suggest that you-” Dad held a finger up to quiet the droid. “It can wait." Dad ran into the cockpit and booted up the systems. The lights went off for a moment, Dad pounded on the wall, and the Falcon whirred to life again. 

“This bucket of bolts is never gonna get us past that blockade,” Leia complained. Outside, figures in white ran into the hangar with blasters. 

“This baby’s got a few surprises left in her, sweetheart,” Dad said. 

“Dad! Troopers!” Jaina screamed, running to the guns. 

“I see ‘em! Get to the-” 

“Already there!” Chewie ran into the cockpit to join Dad and Leia. Jaina fired the guns. She hit one, two troopers, who fell backwards onto the snow. “This ain’t as fun as usual."

_ “Switch over,” _ Dad said.  _ “Let’s hope we don’t have a burnout." _ Chewie switched them over, and Jaia held her breath until the engines were running somewhat decently. The troopers were setting up a heavy gun and aiming it at their thrusters. Jaina fired the guns again, taking out the troopers closest to their big gun.  _ “Punch it!” _ Dad barked. The Falcon lurched, then zipped out of the hangar. Before they left, Jaina saw a dark figure walk in with long strides, and couldn’t help but feel she remembered it, or the cold feeling it brought to her chest. 

They pulled away from the white, white planet. The Falcon wasn’t at all up to her usual standard, but she was holding on well enough. Jaina’s hopes diminished as they almost ran straight into imperial ships. Jaina stayed on the guns, firing at the TIEs in an attempt to keep them at bay. She listened to Dad and the others in the cockpit through her headset. 

_ “Look out, Cub,”  _ said Chewie. 

_ “I saw ‘em, I saw ‘em,” _ Dad snapped. There was a pause as Leia said something, but she wasn’t wearing a headset and couldn’t hear her.  _ “Star destroyers, two of ‘em comin’ right at us,”  _ Dad said. Sure enough, two huge ships were bearing down on them, one from either side, making to pen them in.  _ “Shut him up or shut him down!” _ Dad barked, likely in reference to 3PO. The ship took a hit and rocked dangerously. The destroyers were closing in. 

_ “We took another hit,”  _ said Chewie.

_ “Check the deflector shields, _ ” Dad said. 

_ “Down,”  _ said Chewie. 

_ “Great. Well, we can still outmaneuver them, _ ” Dad said. He pushed the Falcon downwards, under the bellies of the imperial ships. The TIEs followed them, but the two big ships were too close. Jaina watched as they scraped against each other with no small amount of satisfaction. " _ Jaina, get up here!” _ Dad ordered. Jaina threw off her headset and ran into the cockpit. “Prepare to make the jump to lightspeed,” he ordered. 

“But sir!” protested 3PO. 

“They’re getting closer,” Leia warned. 

“Oh yeah?” said Dad, “Watch this!” He pulled down on the big lever that usually took them into lightspeed. The engine stalled. Nothing happened. 

“Watch what?” Leia snapped. Another blast hit the Falcon.

“I think we’re in trouble,” Jaina said. 

“If I may say so, sir, I noticed earlier the hyperdrive motivator has been damaged. It’s impossible to go to lightspeed!”

“We’re in trouble,” Jaina announced. Dad got up and pushed past 3PO. 

“Chewie, come with me! Jaina, take over!”

“On it!” Jaina threw herself into Dad’s seat and began to fly. This was some of the most dangerous flying she had done yet- it was rare Dad gave her the chance to be chased by imperial fighters. Dad and Chewie shouted at each other as they tried to fix the hyperdrive. Up ahead, Jaina could see some stuff moving around in space. She kept going, the TIEs leaving her no other option. She winced as something hit the hull of the Falcon, but no huge damage was done. Then, she realized where they were.

“Dad!” she called. Dad and Chewie were in the cockpit in seconds. “Asteroids,” she said.

“Jaina, turn us around,” Dad ordered. “Unless… no, don’t. Move over, let me sit” Jaina nodded and slid out of the seat so Dad could take her place at the controls. “Chewie, set two seven one." 

“What’re you doing?” Leia asked. “You’re not actually going into an asteroid field?” 

“They’d be crazy to follow us, wouldn’t they?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's having a bad day here, I guess. At least they won't be cold anymore... assuming they don't get blasted into deep space.


	4. Asteroid Field

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which fancy flying and being annoyed by C3PO is a Solo ThingTM and Han and Leia finally get over themselves.

“You don’t have to do this to impress me,” Leia said to Dad. He was too focused to turn and snipe back at her. 

“Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately three-thousand, seven hundred and twenty to one!” 3PO wailed. 

“Never tell me the odds!” Dad said. He flew the Falcon in between the huge, moving rocks, still pursued by TIEs. One collided with an asteroid and exploded. Another soon suffered the same fate. 

“Look out!” cried 3PO, wailing as they were almost struck by an asteroid. 

“You said ya wanted to be around when I made a mistake. This could be it, sweetheart,” Dad half-joked to Leia. Leia frowned, more scared than annoyed. 

“I take it back. We’re going to get pulverized if we stay out here much longer,” she said. 

“Ain’t gonna argue with that,” Dad said. 

“Pulverized?” said 3PO distressingly.   
“Alright, I’m goin’ in closer to one of the big ones,” Dad decided. 

“Closer?” asked Leia. 

“Closer!” cried 3PO. 

_ “Please be quiet,”  _ Chewie growled. Dad banked into the crater of a large asteroid. They weaved around the crevice, dodging blasts. He turned the ship on her side to cut through a narrow passage, and the TIEs still on them exploded on the rock. 

“Oh, this is suicide! There’s nowhere to go!” 3PO lamented. Jaina peered out across the rock. Her eyes fell on a hole in a big crater.

“There!” she said. Dad followed her finger to where she pointed. “That looks pretty good."

“What looks pretty good?” Leia asked. Dad ignored her. 

“Good eye, kiddo. Yeah, that’ll do nicely,” he said. 

“Excuse me, ma’am, but where are we going?” asked 3PO. Leia shrugged. Dad brought the ship low, then upside down over the crater, high, before diving into the hole Jaina had found. 

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Leia said. 

“Yeah. Me too,” Dad admitted. They flew down the dark tunnel until they found a good place to land. Once they were sure they weren't followed, Dad eased them onto the cave floor. 

“I’m gonna shut down everythin’ but the emergency power systems,” he said, beginning to do just that. Jaina frowned. Something was making her feel a little nauseous, but maybe it was just the asteroid. 

“Sir, I’m almost afraid to ask, but does that include shutting me down, too?” 3PO asked. 

“No. I need you to talk to the Falcon. Find out what’s wrong with the hyperdrive,” Dad said. All of a sudden, the ship rocked violently to one side. 

“Sir. It’s quite possible that this asteroid isn’t entirely stable,” said 3PO. 

“Ya don’t say,” Jaina muttered.   
“Not entirely stable? Well, I’m glad you’re here to tell us these things,” Dad said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Chewie, take the professor in the back and plug him into the hyperdrive." 

“Oh, sometimes I just don’t understand human behavior. After all, I’m only trying to do my job,” 3PO complained as Chewie led him out of the cockpit. The Falcon rocked again, sending Leia tumbling into Dad and Jaina onto the floor.

“Let go,” Leia said. Dad had his arms wrapped around her. He shushed her. “Let go, please,” Leia insisted. 

“Don’t get excited,” Dad said.   
Captain, being held by you isn’t quite enough to get me excited,” Leia sniped.   
“Sorry, sweetheart,” said Dad, helping Leia to her feet. “I haven’t got time for anything else."

“Gross!” Jaina complained from the floor. She really wished Dad hadn’t forgotten she was there before saying anything like that. 

“Jaina! Are you okay?” Dad asked. Jaina nodded and pulled herself up. “Hey, what happened to your face?” 

“Busted my lip before takeoff,” Jaina said, gingerly touching the bloody lip she had forgotten about in the chaos of their escape. A bruise was blooming on her cheek, from where she had just hit the floor, to match it. 

“C’mon, let’s get that cleaned up,” Dad said. He led Jaina out of the cockpit and into the galley. He picked Jaina up by the armpits, despite her protests, and plopped her down on the small counter before reaching behind her for the medkit. Jaina winced as he applied bacta gel to the cut on her lip. 

“Sorry, sweetheart,” he said. Jaina resisted the urge to touch the wound again. “You’re lucky ya don’t need any stitches,” he said, examining the wound. It had been bleeding a lot, Jaina hadn’t noticed earlier. A trail of red ran almost all down her neck. Dad cleaned it up with a wet towel. 

“We’re lucky we made it out of there at all,” Jaina said. “That was real close."

“Yeah." 

“And if we hadn’t been there, Leia wouldn’t have made it either,” Jaina pointed out. “They need ya, Dad." Dad sighed. 

“Look, Jaina,” he said, pressing a bacta patch to the bruise on her cheek, “It’s not that I wanna leave ‘em. I can’t go any longer without payin’ off Jabba, kiddo. It’s not safe to cross a Hutt. I’m a dead man walkin’ already. Look- maybe we can figure out a way to stay a little longer, or maybe not. Either way, my priority is always gonna be to keep you safe, got it?” Jaina nodded. “Good. Let’s go see what’s up with our ship." He helped Jaina off the counter and they walked into the main room. 

“Oh, where is R2 when I need him,” 3PO complained. “Sir, I don’t know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect. I believe, sir, it says that the power coupling on the negative axis has been polarized. I’m afraid you’ll have to replace it." Dad walked over to where 3PO was stationed. 

“Well of course I’ll have to replace it,” he muttered irately. He passed a cord up to Chewie, who was working on the roof of the Falcon. “Chewie, I think we’d better replace the negative power coupling.” He walked down the hall to do other repairs. Jaina watched 3PO try to talk to the Falcon. It was strange, in some kind of binary Jaina had no idea how to understand. Eventually, though, 3PO announced,

“I’ve isolated the reverse power flux coupling!” Jaina got up from her chair. 

“Good job, 3PO. I’ll go let Dad know, you see what else ya can do."

“Certainly, Miss Solo,” 3PO said. Jaina realized she was sucking on her hair halfway down the hall and yanked the end of her braid from her mouth. Dad and Leia were either arguing or fixing something in the small wing of the engine room. 

“Hey, Dad, 3PO said he isolated the reverse- oh, gross!” Dad and Leia were kissing each other- real, gross, grown-up kissing. They broke apart when Jaina spoke. Leia’s face was bright pink and Dad’s had a tinge to it as well. They stared at Jaina guiltily. “I knew it!” Jaina said gleefully, grinning at them. “I knew it!”

“Jaina, c’mon,” Dad protested, but Jaina ignored him. 

“I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” she repeated in a singsong tone, cackling. 

“Thank you, Jaina, thank you very much,” Dad said, rolling his eyes. 

“Okay, well, 3PO says he’s isolated the reverse power flux coupling,” Jaina informed them. She scampered off, thinking that she should leave Dad and Leia alone. She rejoined 3PO and Chewie and resumed helping Chewie with the repairs. A few moments later, Dad and Leia came out of the closet and went in separate directions. Leia went into the cockpit, Dad came to help them. Jaina smirked at him.

“Not a word, young lady,” Dad said sternly. His ears were still red. 

“I didn’t say nothin’,” Jaina said. She leaned over with the guise of grabbing a tool on Dad’s other side. “How was it?” she asked. Dad almost dropped his wrench. 

“How was it!?” he said, looking at Jaina as if she’d grown a tail.

“Ya know, was it a nice kiss? Is she your girlfriend now? Was there tongue?” Jaina asked eagerly. 

“What- how do you know-  _ tongue _ ?” Dad spluttered. 

“I’ve seen holos,” Jaina said casually. Definitely not the kind Dad would approve of, they were the stupid romance ones she watched with Leia when Dad wasn’t around. 

“What the hell are ya watching?” Dad asked. Jaina shrugged. “Ya know what- never mind." He turned back towards his work. 

“Ya didn’t answer my question,” Jaina said. “C’mon, tell me! Tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me!”

“Fine!” Dad said. He was so red it looked like his head might explode. “It was a nice kiss. Happy?” Jaina grinned. She kissed his cheek- he needed to shave, it was scratchy- and went into the cockpit to bother Leia. She was sitting in Chewie’s chair, idly spinning back and forth. 

“Hey,” Jaina said, flopping down in Dad's chair. Leia looked up. She looked worried, a bit embarrassed, a bit dejected. “I’m sorry about teasin’ ya back there,” Jaina apologized. Leia waved her away. 

“No, it's fine,” she said. “You’ve been telling me to talk to him for months, it’s only fair." Jaina raised her hands to admit she had a point. 

“Still. Dad said it was a good kiss,” she ventured. Leia bit back a smile and cleared her throat.

“He did?” Jaina nodded. 

“He wouldn’t tell me how it happened, though. Did he finally stop actin’ like a laser-brain and say somethin’ mushy?” she asked, leaning forward in her seat. 

“Well, he agreed to stop calling me ‘Your Worship’,” Leia said. “And- I don’t know, is massaging somebody’s hand romantic?” Jaina shrugged. 

“If he kissed ya afterwards, sure,” she said. “So, what, are you guys a thing now?” she said eagerly. Leia sighed. 

“I don’t know, Jaina. We didn’t really get the chance to discuss it." Jaina bit her lip, wincing as she remembered the wound from earlier. 

“Oh yeah, that’s my bad, ain’t it,” she said. 

“I wouldn’t mind it if we were,” Leia said quietly. “Your father- he’s a really good man when he isn’t acting like a nerf-herder. He’s a good leader, smart, brave, kind…”

“Handsome?” Jaina teased. Leia blushed. 

“Yeah. But I don’t know. The Rebellion, and he has you to-”

“Don’t worry about me,” Jaina said. “I know all about that. I’m always gonna be his first priority, he can’t rush into things, whatever. I think you should go for it. You’re… you’re pretty much the closest thing I’ve ever had to a mother anyway,” she admitted. 

“Oh. Really?” asked Leia. Jaina nodded. 

“Sure. You’ve been teachin’ me, doin’ my hair, I dunno what mothers are supposed to do, but I think that’s it,” she said. “And when I got my first-”

“Yeah,” said Leia, laughing and cutting off. Silence fell over the cockpit for a while. “A mother? Really?” Leia asked. Jaina was confused for a moment before realizing she was only twenty-two, ten years older than Jaina. 

“Cool older sister?” she tried. “Fun aunt?” Leia laughed. 

“Whatever works,” she said. Jaina grinned at her, then frowned. She thought she heard something outside in the cave. “Do you hear that?” Leia asked. Jaina nodded. She climbed up on Dad’s chair, trying to see outside. It was dark, so not an easy task. Then, a ugly creature slammed into the duraglass, attaching to the ship with its big mouth. Jaina shrieked in surprise and stumbled onto the floor. Leia had also screamed, then they ran out of the cockpit. 

“-Not really interested in your opinion, 3PO-” Dad was hunched over a piece of the ship with Chewie, welding something. 

“Dad! Something’s out there,” Jaina said. Dad lifted his goggles up. 

“Where?” he asked seriously. 

“Outside, in the cave,” Leia said. A clanging sound rumbled through the Falcon as though something had fallen- or landed- on it. 

“There it is!” cried 3PO. “Listen! Listen!” Dad took off his goggles and threw them onto the table. 

“I’m goin’ out there,” he said. 

“Are you crazy?” Leia asked, following Dad towards the ramp.

“I just got this bucket back together, I’m not gonna let something tear it apart!” Dad said. 

“Then I’m going with you,” Leia declared, grabbing a mask. Chewie followed suit. Jaina didn’t bother asking for permission before grabbing a mask for herself and running out after them. 

“I think it might be better if I stay behind and guard the ship,” 3PO said to himself. Jaina settled the mask over her nose and mouth and walked down the ramp. Dad stood at the bottom and tested the ground gingerly with his feet before stepping out. Rather than wait, Jaina jumped off the side of the ramp, landing on the ground with a nasty, squishy, squelch. 

“Jaina, get back inside,” Dad ordered, carefully walking across the mushy cave floor. Jaina drew her blaster and ignored him. 

“The ground sure feels strange,” Leia said. “It doesn’t feel like rock." 

“There’s an awful lot of moisture in here,” Dad said. 

“I don’t know,” said Leia. “I have a bad feeling about this."

“Yeah,” Jaina agreed. She heard something rustle behind her. “Watch out!” She fired her blaster at the ship, where one of the creatures that had landed on the cockpit was attacking the hull. She missed, but startled it off the ship and into the cave where Dad shot it down. Chewie came running up.

“It’s alright. It’s alright,” Dad said, walking over to inspect the dead creature. Jaina followed him and stared at the corpse.

“Dad, is that-”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Mynock. Chewie, check the rest of the ship, make sure there are no more attached, chewin’ on the power cables."

“Mynocks…” Leia said. 

“Nasty space thingies that live on rocks with no atmosphere and eat ships,” Jaina explained. 

“Go on inside, both of ya, we’ll clean ‘em off if there’s any more,” Dad ordered. Leia nodded and turned right into one that swooped into her face. 

“Han!” she shrieked. Jaina shot at them, but only managed to hit one. One of her blasts hit the cave wall, and the whole thing lurched violently, almost sending Jaina tumbling across the cave floor. Leia grabbed onto the Falcon ramp for support. 

“Dad…” Dad was frowning, staring around at the cave. 

‘Wait a minute… Jaina, fire at the ground again,” he said. Jaina lined up a shot to a safe distance and fired again, eliciting another lurch from the cave. Leia stumbled across the ramp and Dad fell backwards against the Falcon. The lurching didn’t settle this time. “Get back on the ship!” Dad yelled and he wove across the cave, what they thought was a cave, to the ramp. Jaina threw herself onto the ship after him, with Chewie following. “Let’s get outta here!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a little longer to post than normal, sorry about that. Had a busy weekend. Jaina was really fun to write in this chapter- little shit Jaina is the best Jaina.


	5. Bespin Crawl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Han has his Moments and Jaina might have too much freedom with the Falcon's guns.

“The Empire is still out there!” Leia objected. “I don’t think it’s wise to-”

“No time to discuss this in committee! Jaina, come with me!” Dad said, running to the cockpit. Jaina followed him with Leia stamping after them best she could with the whole ship rocking violently. 

“I am not a committee!” Dad ignored her. Jaina almost fell into Chewie’s seat, the ship was lurching so awfully. She grabbed the radar screens and fired up the systems. “You can’t make the jump to lightspeed in this asteroid field!” Leia said.   
“Sit down, sweetheart, we’re takin’ off!” Dad ordered. “Jaina, strap in!” Jaina had already done so, but didn’t think it was necessary to mention it. The lurching came to a stop as they left the ground and began speeding towards the entrance of the tunnel they had hidden in. Even as they flew closer, the light at the end was getting smaller, closing like a blast door.

“Look!” Jaina gasped. 

“I see it, I see it,” Dad said, boosting the engines. Teeth were drawing closer and closer together, rapidly cutting off their escape route. 

“We’re doomed!” 3PO wailed. 

“The cave is collapsing!” Leia cried. 

“That ain’t a cave,” Dad said. 

“What?” Dad tilted the Falcon to her side and just managed to cut through the teeth of a giant mouth. Jaina craned her head to see a giant, worm-like creature poking out of the asteroid.

“Whoa…” The creature was soon lost amongst the asteroids. Dad ducked and weaved around the giant rocks away from their hiding place. 

“That was too close,” Leia said. 

“That was awesome,” Jaina agreed. Leia gave her a funny look. Dad rolled his eyes as Jaina’s radars began to beep. She cursed. 

“Language!” Dad and Leia said together. Jaina fought the urge to roll her eyes.

Star destroyer comin’ up behind us," she said instead. It was Dad’s turn to curse. He was still dodging asteroids.   
“Boost the engines,” he ordered. “And get the rear deflector shields up and runnin’." Jaina and Chewie set to work and Dad began evading the blasts from the destroyer in addition to the asteroids. Eventually, they came to the edge of the asteroid field. 

“Oh, thank goodness we’re coming out of the asteroid field,” 3PO observed helpfully. An awful blast battered the hull of the Falcon. Jaina’s teeth clattered in her skull. 

“Let’s get outta here. Ready for lightspeed?” Dad asked. Chewie growled affirmation. “One. Two. Three!” They yanked down on the hyperdrive lever. 

Nothing happened. Leia sighed and hung her head defeatedly. 

“That’s not fair,” muttered Dad. 

_ “Check the transfer circuits,”  _ Chewie suggested. 

“Transfer circuits are workin’! It’s not my fault!” Dad yelled as another blast hit them. 

“No lightspeed?” Leia asked incredulously. 

“It’s not my fault,” Dad repeated. He was worried, real worried, and so was Jaina. Her head smacked against the radars as they were hit again. Her screens began to blink.

“Dad, we’ve just lost the main rear deflector shield,” she reported anxiously. “One more direct hit on the back quarter, and we’re done for." Dad set his jaw, making a snap judgement.

“Turn her around,” he said to Chewie. Chewie growled incredulously. “I said turn ‘er around! Jaina, put all power to the front shields!” he ordered. Jaina didn’t know how that would do anything but get them killed faster, but when Dad was like this there was no arguing. That was something Leia still needed to learn. 

“You’re going to attack them?” she asked. 3PO, of course, had to butt in.

“Sir, the odds of surviving a direct assault on an imperial star destroyer-”

“Shut up!” Jaina and Leia snapped at him. Jaina pulled all the power to the front shields. Dad and Chewie brought the ship around. 

“All power in the front shields,” Jaina reported. 

“Good. Get to the guns and get ready to give us some cover fire!” Jaina passed the radars to Leia and ran down to the guns. She jumped into the seat and yanked on her headset as Dad flew them along the belly of the destroyer. 

“Guns ready!” she yelled. 

_ “Let ‘er have it!” _ Dad ordered. Jaina slammed her thumbs down on the triggers and blasted the hull of the destroyer with everything the Falcon had. She bit at her lip, reopening the cut from earlier, and didn’t let up on the guns until Dad pulled up from the belly. _ “Hold fire,” _ he ordered. Jaina resisted the temptation to blast open their bridge as Dad flew right past the windows, up and around. He came in fast, then the ship lurched to a sudden halt. 

_ “Chewie, begin the landing sequence!” _ The Falcon eased down and attached itself to the back of the bridge of a star destroyer. Jaina had to admit it was a great idea, there was no way they’d be spotted there, and if they were, the destroyer’s shields would protect them. Jaina pulled off her headset and climbed out of the gunner’s pit. She rejoined the others at the controls. 

“Captain Solo, this time you have gone too far,” griped 3PO. 

_ “Be quiet, droid,”  _ Chewie growled. 

“No, I will not be quiet, Chewbacca. Why doesn’t anyone listen to me?”

“Nice shooting, kiddo,” Dad said, watching the imperial fleet.

“Thanks,” Jaina said. She flopped down into her seat. They sat in silence for a long time until some destroyer engines began to glow brighter. The ships were beginning to disperse. A few jumped to lightspeed. 

“The fleet’s beginning to break up,” Jaina said. Dad nodded. 

“Go back and stand by the manual release for the landing claw,” he told Chewie. Chewie hauled himself up and climbed out of the cockpit. 

“I really don’t see how that is going to help,” said 3PO. “Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances. The Empire may be gracious enough-” fed up, Leia reached over and switched the droid off. He slumped down, power out. 

“Thank you,” said Dad. Leia leaned over his shoulder. 

“What’s your next move?” she asked. 

“If they follow standard imperial procedure, they’ll dump their garbage before they go to lightspeed, and then we just- float away,” he explained. Jaina reminded herself that most of the time, Dad knew what he was doing. Leia smiled as though she agreed.

“With the rest of the garbage,” she said. “Then what?”

“Then we gotta find a safe port somewhere around here,” he said. “Jaina, will ya-”

“Yup,” Jaina was already typing away at the controls. “Any ideas?”

“Where are we?” asked Leia. 

“Anoat System,” Dad said. Jaina typed the system in. 

“There’s not much here,” she reported. “Only possibility I’m seein’ is Bes- Bespin." Dad perked up and reached around for the computer. 

“No- well, wait. This is interesting,” he said. “Lando!”

“Lando System?” asked Leia skeptically. Dad shook his head. 

“Lando’s not a system, he’s a man,” he said. Jaina frowned. 

“The man ya-”

“Yeah,” Dad said, passing the computer back to Jaina. “Lando Calrissian. He’s a cardplayer, smuggler, scoundrel, you’d like him." Leia rolled her eyes.

“Thanks." Jaina pulled up some calculations and coordinates. 

“Bespin’s pretty far, but I think we can make it,” she said. Leia looked over her shoulder. 

“A mining colony?” she read. 

“Yeah, a, uh, a tibanna gas mine,” Jaina reported. 

“Lando conned somebody out of it,” Dad guessed. “We go back a long way, Lando and me."

“Can you trust him?” Leia asked. 

“No… but he’s got no love for the Empire, I can tell ya that,” Dad said. The ship rocked gently as the destroyer began to make the jump to lightspeed. “Here we go, Chewie, stand by. And- detach." The Falcon creaked and groaned as she let go of the imperial bridge. They bobbed up and down, drifting aimlessly in space with other imperial garbage. Leia smiled, impressed. 

“You have your moments. Not many of them, but you do have them,” she said. Jaina looked away, but she saw her press a kiss to Dad’s cheek and a faint blush rise to the spot she kissed. The destroyer jumped to lightspeed, vanishing from sight, and Dad began to fire up the engines. 

“Jaina, set course for Bespin,” he said gruffly. Jaina punched the numbers in and Dad brought the ship around. Although no imperials showed on Jaina’s radar, she couldn’t help but feel that it wasn’t over yet. 

It took them a long time to get to Bespin, long enough to settle into a routine. Jaina’s room was technically supposed to be crew quarters, so there was an extra bed for Leia. Sometimes, Jaina would wake up at night and find it empty. Leia would either be in the galley, making a hot drink- which she would always share- or she would be in Dad’s room. Jaina knew better than to find out why or what. The food supply on the Falcon was enough that they didn’t need to ration, but there wasn’t much in terms of options. Leia, feeling a little useless amongst the Falcon crew, tried to help by finding new ways to cook, but she was, quite plainly, terrible at it. Sometimes Dad would try to teach her how to make easy meals, with varying degrees of success.

It was one such time that Jaina almost walked in on them kissing again. All she had wanted was some water, but the voices in the galley kept her hidden behind the doorway. Dad was leaning over Leia, holding her hand and she stirred something in a pan. 

“Yeah, like that,” he was saying. Leia sighed. 

“How do you know how to cook anyway?” she asked. “You don’t seem like the type." Dad shrugged. “Chewie’s wife taught me when he took me to meet her the first time." Jaina smiled. She liked Malla and Lumpy, she hadn’t seen them for years, though. She wondered how Chewie coped without being around his other family for so long. “Jaina’s ma had just left, I was flyin’ blind, and Malla helped me get back on my feet. I figured if ‘I’m gonna raise this baby girl right then I should know how to feed her’,” Dad said. “I’m just lucky that she ain’t a picky eater." 

“That- well, that makes sense,” said Leia. “Jaina’s lucky to have such a good father. It makes a difference, you know… my father was wonderful, too. The older I get the more I realize how lucky I was to have him." 

“Yeah, well, I try,” said Dad gruffly. “I try to do right by her." 

“You do,” Leia said softly. A teasing tone entered her voice. “When you aren’t acting like a scoundrel." 

“Very funny, Leia.” They were quiet for a moment- Jaina knew they were kissing and had decided to just get water from the fresher sink. It tasted the same anyway. 

She was used to spending long periods of time in the Falcon, but nevertheless began to go a bit stir-crazy over the following days as the Falcon limped through space. They were all relieved when they finally arrived at Bespin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three labs and an exam made for a busy week of online school, but its over now, so you get a new chapter! For those of you wondering why Han is letting his twelve year old man the guns and fly through asteroids, you should be. But hey, the Old Republic had thirteen year old padawans leading battalions and my dad had me operating power tools at age six, so I'm not really one to question that.


End file.
